


your love can do what no one else can

by theprincessed



Series: Aaron Week 2018 [3]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Aaron Dingle POV, Bittersweet, Dementia, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, Old Married Couple, Respite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-20 09:29:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16553228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theprincessed/pseuds/theprincessed
Summary: Aaron visits Robert and they both try their best to cope.(Day 3: Crazy In Love)





	your love can do what no one else can

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! Again, not the easiest of days, but I thought I'd try something a little bit different.
> 
> Hope you enjoy x

Aaron checks he has his packed holdall ready, an upgrade from the plastic bag he had been using the last couple of weeks. The house is quiet for the first time in just as long and he grabs his keys before that can take root. He spent so many years of life begging for his mind and his world to be quiet and now he hates anything less than the TV on in the background, something chattering away even if he's not listening.

A silent house is a lonely house, unless he's locking up to leave, so he decides to leave all the toys strewn on the open plan floor and the dishes in the sink until later to get in his car instead. Sometimes his life still catches him by surprise as he opens the door to their grey Ford Focus estate, a decent family car if he ever saw one. They've gone through so many, including the need for a people carrier for a good decade or so, but this suits them just fine these days. His mum would no doubt tease him as "responsible" and "respectable", as respectable as a Sugden-Dingle could be, and that makes him smile as he heads away from the village.

Passing through Connelton and beyond, Aaron switches on the radio for company and mentally runs through what's in the holdhall in the passenger seat to make the journey go quicker. 

A comic from the 90s. He's making his way slowly but surely through the years. He has to admit, he picked one at random, sorted by date, so he has no idea what it's about but somehow that makes it more exciting and refreshing to read.

A plastic comb. A hairbrush wasn't good enough, apparently. The dent in the wall where it had been thrown amidst a grumpy tantrum evidence of that.

New pictures of the kids, especially printed out to go in the photo frames also in the bag. Something to do that's physical, to touch, to see, but not too taxing.

A book of crossword puzzles for when either of them are feeling adventurous and/or bored enough to try.

Celia's birthday card and a small bunch of flowers resting next to the bag because he forgot last week on the actual day and no one does guilt quite like Aaron Sugden-Dingle does.

Evie's cuddly elephant. Aaron promised to take Eddie on the journey (she's going through a phase where everything has to begin with the same letter as her name), but with the caveat that she can have it back tomorrow as he will be too sad to part with Evie for long.

New pyjamas. Ones that hopefully aren't "itchy", but soft simple red tartan print. Cosy. Calming.

That's not even covering the miscellaneous sweets and CDs sitting at the bottom gathering dust and whatever is stored on Aaron's phone, often stolen by the kids to fill with happy nonsense.

Entering Robblesfield, Aaron parks the first chance he gets. He doesn't want to walk far; his knee not his best friend today as he clutches the brown leather holdall and he ambles up the driveway, pressing the buzzer and waiting for a moment. He can see the reception desk from here and Michaela rushes to the door to let him in.

"Aaron! So nice to see you!" she says with a big smile.

"You say that every time," he grumbles, embarrassed.

She chucks him under his chin and winks. "You're my favourite, that's why."

He knows she's having a laugh, making him feel as welcome as ever, but her touch reminds him of his beard. Is it too long? Too short? Should he have shaved it all off? It's hard to keep track of what's happening, what's 'right', what's for the best. He has to shrug it off. He's here now and he's not leaving.

He adjusts his grip on the holdall as he remembers and taps Michaela on her shoulder. "Hey, um - is Celia around?" He picks up the flowers resting precariously on the bag. "I missed her birthday."

Michaela stops in the corridor, lighting up. "Oh, she'll love those! You spoil her, Aaron, honestly. She's on nights tonight, but I'll make sure she sees them." He had been hoping to see her, to say thank you like he does in his own way every week, but he gives up the flowers to her colleague and Michaela smiles knowingly. "Come on, he's in his room."

Aaron frowns. "Why? What's happened?"

"Ah nothing," she laughs, waving a dismissive hand as they pass room after room, mostly the same except for the visitors and the belongings they drop off. Something about familiarity doing a world of good. "Just a little disagreement this morning with another resident. I'll expect he's sulking."

Michaela goes into the room first. "Hello, you! Guess who's here to see you, Robert?" she asks loudly and Aaron shuffles in, noticing Robert sat upright.

From the side of the bed, a dark blonde head turns towards the door and he stands up when he recognises Aaron. "Hi, Dad. I was just leaving."

"What? No, you don't have to - "

"Yeah, I do," Seb interrupts, regret all over his face. "Liza needs me to pick our little monster up from school today. I said I'd work from home so I could come and see Dad."

Aaron smiles slightly. Seb used to be their little monster and now he's all grown up, working "something in computers" Robert's called it for years. He told Aaron once that's what he wanted to do as a kid and Aaron thinks there's a nice kind of symmetry there now.

Aaron moves around Robert's bed to hug their son, rather envious that Seb has to lean down to make it comfortable. "It's so great to see you. Give our love to the family."

"Will do." He tries to sniff discreetly and Aaron ignores it. Despite this being a routine for the last five years, it never really gets any easier to bear. Stood beside him, he watches Seb hug Robert a little tighter. "Bye, Dad. I'll see you next week, okay?"

He goes to pull away, but Robert catches his wrist. "Where d'ya think you're going? You're not allowed to leave,"

"Dad - " Seb squirms, at a loss.

Aaron breathes in and steps in front of their son, plying Robert's grip from him. He hates silence, but he also hates this, moods turning at a finger click shrouded in an immense cloud of confusion. "Hey, Rob, come on. He has to go."

Aaron smooths his blonde hair soothingly, lightening to white with age and set in a side parting as it's too much hassle to do anything else these days, unless Aaron is up for a fight that ends in tears for one or both of them. The nursing assistants say he looks handsome. Sometimes Aaron wants to say he doesn't look like his husband anymore, but he swallows the words down every time. He has to carry on because he still loves him, the essence of who he is, and always will.

"Freddie, no!" Robert shouts angrily, pushing Aaron's hand away from him. "Listen to me!"

Aaron shoots a look at Seb, frozen, as he holds his laptop in his arms. Having been pottering about Robert's room, Michaela puts down Celia's flowers for a moment and rests a gentle hand on Robert's shoulder opposite to Aaron.

"Aaron's here now, Robert," she says calmly.

"I know that, I'm not stupid," he snaps, glaring.

"Go," Aaron mouths to Seb. "I'll see you on Friday."

He heads for the door, but Robert throws the blankets off his legs with some effort. "Freddie, no! Don't go! Come back! I'm sorry! Freddie! Freddie!"

Aaron sits down on the bed facing Robert and nods at Michaela to leave. It's not the first time, it won't be the last. Struggling in his hold, Aaron cups his face between his hands. "Robert - Robert, hey - that's not Freddie. That's Seb. Freddie's our grandson, remember?" Robert flinches, screwing his eyes shut. "Come on, look at me - Freddie is Seb's son. He has to pick him up from school or he'll be all alone, but he'll be back next week to see you."

"Seb," he gasps suddenly, "oh, god - "

He crumples into Aaron's arms, nuzzling under his chin as he breathes harshly, and Aaron feels relief wash over him. Robert understands as much as he can and it was a good decision not to shave. Small victories.

Aaron rubs his back and feels a wave of protectiveness spark fiercely under his skin. He's never quite sure what version of Robert he's going to get but if he can do this, have him in his arms, it'll be enough to fill his heart until the next time. It has to be enough.

"Shh, it's okay." He kisses Robert's forehead and blinks back the tears. "Seb gets it, don't worry - just you and me now - all we ever needed."

"Love you, Aaron," Robert mumbles into his chest, squeezing his hands around Aaron's softer middle.

Aaron pulls him up to kiss both his cheeks to see him smile, just as beautiful as that ever was. "Love ya too." He looks down at the bag he had dropped at his feet. "Right, do you want to see what stuff I've come with today? I brought a comb for your hair 'cause I know you hated that hairbrush."

"Tugged," he pouts and Aaron bites his lip to keep his laughter in. God, he loves him so much.

"Ah it makes sense now." He puts the bag on his lap and lets Robert hold his other hand, loving the feel of his thumb absently stroking his skin like he used to. Some things never change. "Try not to throw it at my head next time then, yeah? I know it's hard but use your words. You've always been good at that." Robert shakes his head and Aaron smirks as he dives back in to their assorted belongings. "There's some sweets in here somewhere, pyjamas that aren't itchy and this," He retrieves Eddie from the bag, plucking an unwrapped sticky sweet from his fur. "Evie made me promise that if Uncle Robert is sad then I'm meant to give Eddie to you for tonight."

Technically, as Sarah Jr is her mother, Evie is their great-niece but those are finer details Aaron nor the adorable little girl massively care about. Family is family.

"I'm not sad." Aaron gives him a look, a look that says _don't make me disappoint a three-year-old_. Robert lets go of Aaron to receive the elephant in both hands. "Tell her thanks. I wish I could see her."

That gives Aaron an idea. "I'll talk to Sarah. Maybe Evie can come pick Eddie up herself."

"Eddie?"

"Eddie the elephant, obviously," he chuckles, rolling his eyes.

It might be tough, but Aaron is reminded that he _can_ cope because love and family is everywhere.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


End file.
